|
 The Coyotes succeeded on that score Tuesday.
Arizona got a pair of relatively easy goals in the first period, and
goaltender Mike Smith made the early lead stand up in a 3-2 victory
over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Gila River Arena.
Center Sam Gagner took advantage of a turnover for his second goal
in as many games midway through the first period, and right wing
Martin Erat scored when his shot ricocheted off a defender five
minutes later for a lead the Coyotes never lost.
"You play the right way, you get those bounces," said Smith, who had
28 saves and was only scored upon only when Toronto was on the power
play. "As a group, we understood that.
"We talked about our identity, what we need to do to be in hockey
games and give ourselves a chance to win. Tonight, we did that for a
more consistent time, and we earned some bounces. We deserved to
win."
Coyotes center Antoine Vermette scored an unassisted goal early in
the second period for a 3-0 lead as Arizona (5-6-1) put together its
second two-game winning streak of the season.
Defensemen Dion Phaneuf and Cody Franson scored power-play goals for
Toronto (6-5-1), which had won its past three and four of its past
five. Right winger Phil Kessel assisted on both goals.
"It's a disappointing start for our team, and it cost us tonight,"
Phaneuf said. "The puck was bouncing early. It does that here. You
are playing in a building where it is extremely warm outside, so the
ice gets choppy pretty quick. We weren't sharp enough in all areas."
Smith made a sprawling glove stop on a point-blank shot from Leafs
center Tyler Bozak late in the second period to preserve a 3-1 lead.
Toronto goalie James Reimer recorded 30 saves while making a second
consecutive start. In a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on
Saturday, he weathered 47 shots, 26 in the third period.
"We started very well," Arizona coach Dave Tippett said. "We were
dictating the play.
"Smitty had a strong game, which was great to see. We talked about,
'We have to manage the game better.' It's playing smart, but it's
also executing smart. It's more about getting it done."
Gagner scored his second goal in as many games after a giveaway by
Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner, who had the puck jump over his stick
to Coyotes left wing Lauri Korpikoski. Gagner received a pass from
Korpikoski for a point-blank shot and a 1-0 lead at 10:29.
Erat made it 2-0 with his fourth goal of the season, when his
wrap-around shot from close range deflected off Leafs defenseman
Stephane Robidas at 15:35 of the first period.
[to top of second column] |
"It's a long season," Erat said. "There are going to be stretches
when you can score. You are trying to work hard. Sometimes you get a
lucky break and it is going to go in."
Erat, who scored at least 16 goals in eight straight seasons with
the Nashville Predators through 2011-12, had only three goals in 70
games last season.
"What happened last year?" Erat said when told he surpassed his
total from last year.
Franson scored midway through the third period to make it 3-1, and
Phaneuf scored at 13:53 of the third period. The Coyotes allowed a
power-play goal for a fifth straight game, and they have given up
seven goals the last 16 times they went a man down.
"Our power play delivered a couple of goals for us and gave us a
chance, but our execution level was nowhere near where it needed to
be," Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. "Turtle start, slower
than slow. No explanation for that one. It seemed like we were in
neutral and they were in third gear, and we were chasing."
NOTES: Toronto G Jonathan Bernier did not start despite a 3-0-0
record and a 1.15 goal-against average against the Coyotes in his
career. ... Arizona recalled D Brandon Gormley from Portland and
returned F Justin Hodgman to the AHL club. Gormley played 22 games
with the Coyotes last season but was returned to the minors after a
sluggish training camp. ... Arizona D Oliver Ekman-Larsson entered
the game seventh in the league in average minutes per game (25:57)
and last in the league in plus-minus (minus-13). He played a
game-high 31:31 and finished plus-2. ... Toronto RW Phil Kessel
leads U.S.-born players with 198 goals since the start of the
2008-09 season, 30 more than Minnesota LW Zach Parise. ... Dave
Tippett coached his 388th game with the Coyotes, two short of Bob
Francis' franchise record. Wayne Gretzky coached 328 games.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
